Tangled Up
by Ascendant Angel
Summary: Andromeda Trys to kill Harper, want to know why? Then read on.


Disclaimer: Yep it not mine, and sadly I make no money from this. All hail the gods at Tribune and fire work productions and of course the great Gene Roddenberry.  
  
Authors note: If you read my other stories Please don't lets this be and just friends updates are on the way at some point I promise I haven't given up I just don't have anything good enough to put up yet.  
  
Tangled up  
  
On the star ship Andromeda in machine shop two the internal defences activated they acquired their target and fired the lone figure in the room barely jumped out the way in time; the wall next to him was now blacked with a scorch mark. "Rommie what the hell was that for!" screamed the startled figure "you almost killed me." The only response he received was another shot, he dived out the way falling on his arm he winched in pain " You know babe, if I did some thing to upset you, you could just say." The wall mounted laser cannons powered up again, Harper fled the room something behind him exploded caught in the path of weapons fire, he sped up, shots rung out around him.  
  
He ran all the way to command and burst thought the doors "Dylan, Dylan, the ships trying to kill me! He gasped out; Dylan just looked at him like he was stupid that was at least till a shot ran out just above Harper, singeing his hair. "What did you do to her this time?" replied Dylan calmly, "Year what was it this time?" echoed Beka. "Why does everybody think it was something I did?" replied Harper, indigently as he ducked for cover behind a console, trying to think just what the hell he did do. Seconds later his cover exploded exposing him and sending shards raining down on him. "Rommie, that's enough!" ordered Dylan, but still the shots rang out. "Rommie, stop it!" Dylan tried again, still to no effect.  
  
The doors to command opened again and another figure came hurtling though the figure jumped in front of Harper taking a hit for him, the figure was knocked over falling on Harper, but other that a ruined outfit seamed ok, she helped Harper up. "Thanks" said Harper then seeing his rescuer leapt behind Tyr, he peeked around and just caught the hurt look in Rommie's eyes.  
  
"Dylan, some things happened to my main frame, she thinks Harper's a saboteur and is trying to kill him; my access to my mainframe has been cut off I no longer have control over the ship."  
  
Reassured that the ships avatar her self wasn't trying to kill him Harper stepped out from behind Tyr "Maybe its some kind of virus" he said but just as he finished another weapons blast stuck out, this time neither Harper nor Rommie were quick enough, the beam struck Harper in the abdomen Harper cried out in pain as his eyes closed and he fell to the floor as blood poured from the wound his body jerked then went still.  
  
For a second no one moved or even breathed it was as if time had frozen at that very moment, but then as quickly as it happened time unfroze; Rommie ran over to Harper she picked up the unmoving form cradling it gently in her arms then run off the bridge she was quickly followed by Beka the doors to command snapped closed.  
  
Rommie fled to med deck lucky Trance was already there Rommie laid Harper gently on a bed "Rommie what happened?" asked Trance "I shot him" she explained simply the pain evident in her eyes. The doors to med deck flew open again and Beka dashed in just in time to witness another beam shoot out at Harper, his body jerked again, but remain lifeless. "Is he.?" asked Beka fearing the response, "No, not yet" Trance replied "but I cant save him while he's still a target." "Rommie, do something" pleaded Beka.  
  
Rommie did the only thing she could think of to help she hacked into her own system, and tried to stop her self. She walked around her matrix, it was a odd feeling, she found the data stream for internal defences and pulled it apart; she could feel her main frame trying to kick her out but she fought back giving her main frame one last shove she examined the data steam she had just pulled out.  
  
The strand looked out of place and twisted round another data steam internal sensors she discovered; Harper had been in her matrix working on those this morning. Rommie realised Harper must have some how entangled the two systems causing her internal defences to lock onto Harper's life signs and fire on him. The two data steams were so entangled that it was no surprise her main frame had become so confused. Rommie sat on the virtual floor and carefully untangled the two data steams then put them back in their right full places she felt the change as her main fame restored itself to normal; she pulled her self out the system.  
  
Rommie retuned to her android body "How is he?" she asked "Stable" relied Trance obviously relived "but not out of danger yet". Rommie and Beka both sat by Harper's bed side constantly; Dylan had visited once but found the sight of his young engineer broken and lifeless too distressing and instead busied him self in his duties. Tyr had been quieter than usual and spent all day every day working out he had nearly killed himself with the physical exertion; Andromeda had to send Trance to stop him then lock the doors to keep him out. Andromeda the ship itself was plagued by minor malfunctions the crew assumed that she needed maintenance but the moment her engineer awoke the malfunctions stopped instantly.  
  
For three days Rommie, with Beka her constant companion, sat by Harper till finally he finally came round and was out of danger. When he finally opened his eyes both girls burst into tears of joy. "Hey don't cry there's plenty of the Harper to go round" came a week response from the bed both girls laughed, but Rommie quickly feel silent "Hey, why so sad Rom doll" Harper asked Rommie burst into tears then run out the room her hologram flicked into existence beside Harper "I tried to kill you" she said sadly then flicker out before Harper could respond even if he knew what to say.  
  
A few hours later Trance discharged Harper from med deck but not before quietly filling him in on just what happened. Harper left med deck to find Rommie; he found her sitting on the floor in the observation lounge just staring into space. He sat beside her "It's not you fault" he said quietly "I tried to kill you" said her hologram appearing beside her avatar. "I know, but it was my fault" replied the young man "if I hadn't tangled up those data steams this would never have happened, it really wasn't your fault." "You almost died" the avatar replied then buried her head in her hands and sobbed. Harper hugged her and said "but I didn't, I'm fine now" he hugger he tighter then held her chin in his hand forcing her to look into his eyes and see the acceptance there, he looked up to her hologram "It's not your fault" he repeated the hologram smiled then flickered out.  
  
Harper stood and held out his hand helping the android to her feet "Come on we have work to do" he said as he smiled and headed of towards the machine shops; Rommie stood their for a moment then smiled herself and headed for the bridge.  
  
The end  
  
Authors note: If you have a better title please tell me I'm not sure I like this one. Ps. If anybody wants a challenge I'd love to read a story about when Dylan gives Harper that pin for rare and unparallel courage at the end of 'The shards of Rimni'. 


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